The plans for the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro show that the mosque will expand its size and include an Islamic school and sports center as an outreach to the community. Murfreesboro is a college town so the new sports center is calculated to be a popular gathering place for students.

The Islamic center’s website says that its mission is to :

"improve the practice, knowledge, and understanding of Islam among all people" and to "elevate the image of Islam and Muslims among non-Muslims in general."

The funding for the building itself is controversial since the local Muslim community does not currently have the necessary funds to complete the project they are reaching out to Muslims across all America and the world. In the past, funds for mega-mosques like this in the United States have substantially come from the Middle East and especially from Saudi Arabia.

Response: There is freedom of religion is this country and it really would not mean a thing if certain groups like Islam were excluded from practicing their religion.

If there is a fear that the expanded mosque will be used for converting students to Islam, that is really not against the law. However, recruiting radical Islamists and providing for terrorist training certainly could be.

The Christian churches in that area should compete in the area of ideas and make their own plans for reaching out to the students and the Muslim community. There is also no law against Christians bringing the Gospel to Muslims. The expanded mosques would probably bring more Muslims to the community and to the college thus providing the churches with a new potential mission field right at their own backdoor.

Meanwhile, care should be taken that the expanded mosque does not become a center for the expansion of radical Islam.

One thing I do object to is the political correctness which pervades city and county administrators and judges who will allow huge mosques to be built in areas and neighborhoods where large churches would never be allowed. Many are now going out of their way to accommodate Muslims while Christian churches would not get the same treatment.